No inclusive mienskip without social partners

Geke Walsma is coordinator of Arcadia’s Social Design programme. Her goal: stimulating creative interaction between social partners, their participants and artists. Together with an artist, participants create something new that fits their talents and interests. The result? Visitors see it everywhere around them in Bouwurk, from the cushions and wooden trees to the bins and kitchen aprons. Geke talks about the importance of active cultural participation for everyone in the mienskip.

A generalist with a mission

Geke Walsma calls herself a generalist. After studying International Relations and travelling internationally, she ended up at the Province of Fryslân. “A six-month job ended up turning into 25 years.” The common thread in her career is that she works integrally on the theme of healthcare.

That broad outlook proved valuable when she started in 2021 as Social Design coordinator at interdisciplinary (performing arts) festival Welcome to The Village. After this festival stopped in 2023, the Social Design programme found a new cultural home at Arcadia. “That made sense, because Arcadia also revolves around the mienskip. Through this programme, we give more people a creative voice and a place in Arcadia’s programme.”

Bouwurk as a canvas

At Social Design, Geke works together with eleven social partners. Each one contributed something to Bouwurk that suited them. Students from Piter Jelles De Brêge made bold, bright yellow stools for the Maakruimte (making space) together with designer Sibe Jan Kramer. Students from Vak C at the Burgemeester Harmsmaschool built a musical carillon out of metal shovels. Huis voor Jongeren (house for young people) at Wender made artistic bins from recycled material with artist Marsja van der Ven. At Wender Skrep, they turned old CDs into disco balls for the Silent Disco. Participants from Niemand aan de Zijlijn (nobody on the sidelines) made kitchen aprons from recycled leather together with CP Berbée. At De Verkleedkoffer (the dress-up box) at Alliade, belts were made from old jeans for the green volunteers. Artists with disabilities from Smoel designed three wooden trees with Machiel Braaksma, and stage lamps with Juliet Ypma. Participants from L.A.P. Atelier at Fier sewed cushions for the Oase (oasis).

Taking part comes in many forms

For each of these collaborations, ‘taking part’ looks a little different. “Everyone takes part in a way that fits the needs and talents of the target group. With some partners, we worked together on location design, so the styling and interior of Bouwurk. For this, I first had conversations with the partners about what their participants can do and want to do. Then I aligned with my Arcadia colleagues on what was needed. In the end, the participants made these objects within their own organisation, and we gave them their place in Bouwurk.” This way, participants make new things, which stimulates their creativity. “It also makes them proud, to finally admire the fruits of their hard work in Bouwurk.”

“Some participants also want a more creative process led by an artist. For them, we offer an in-depth programme focused on co-creation. Guided by an artist, participants dive into a making process that challenges them and teaches them new things.” The presence of an artist adds something essential to making things together. “He or she often asks different questions, which gets participants thinking. Sometimes it also gives support workers a fresh view of their clients. The participants, in turn, are creatively challenged and take their artistic skills to a new level.”

A trinity for success

The trinity of participant, artist and support worker is essential here. “If the support worker knows the needs, talents and limitations of their participants well, they can align this properly with the artist. The artist needs to be able to connect well with what the support workers say about those needs. When that connection works and there’s mutual trust, this synergy creates the best experience for the participants. That way, they can really enjoy the making process together. The result is often heart-warming.”

As an example, Geke mentions the collaboration with Aylva State, a nursing home. Musician Sake Hijlkema spoke with elderly residents there about their life stories and turned them into songs. With titles like Bern, Heit & Mem and Musyk (Children, Dad & Mum and Music), these show what matters most to the residents. After three practice sessions with Sake, residents now sing these songs during the weekly singing hour. “The residents were absolutely thrilled. ‘Do dochst it sa leuk!’ (You’re doing such a lovely job!), one of the residents kept telling Sake. Sake and the activity coordinator also thought it was a wonderful project.”

For all these collaborations, it’s not just the making process and the artistic result that matter. The social aspect for participants is at least as important. It brings them into contact with a creative-artistic world that can sometimes feel far removed from their everyday lives. They also get to talk to new people. “I also see that the meetings with all the social partners together are valuable. We learn from each other, and new cross-pollination keeps emerging.”

Symbiosis with potential

“It’s been proven that the collaboration between art and the social and care domains genuinely contributes to participants’ wellbeing. It lowers the threshold for taking part in culture. This way, people feel more connected to society. This synergy works partly because both domains can be flexible. And because of the intrinsic motivation within the social domain and the cultural sector. Both see the added value of art and culture for these target groups.”

But this synergy isn’t always a given. “The crux of it is that with these target groups, you need more time for the whole making process. The cultural sector often doesn’t allow for that extra time yet.” It’s also important to understand the relationship between the social partners and their target group. “Some of our partners have the same group every time, a stable core. But some partners have higher turnover among participants. Then you don’t know whether the people who were at your first creative session will also come to the second. That can sometimes create extra challenges in the making process.”

Vision for the future

What does Geke hope visitors to Bouwurk realise? “The beautiful thing about Bouwurk is that it’s a genuine mienskipshûs (community house), full of creative interaction. As you walk around here, you see everything side by side. Art by renowned international artists stands right next to the creative projects made by one of our social partners.

Meanwhile, Geke is already making plans for Arcadia 2028. But she also points to the bigger picture. “The collaboration between social partners, their participants and the cultural sector can be beautiful. Active cultural participation can be a fantastic way to build an inclusive society. And that requires sustainable collaboration and funding. It only works if the sectors themselves, national government, municipalities and other funders also recognise the value. We need to think integrally, together, to seize the opportunities that are there.”

Arcadia’s Social Design programme is made possible in part by Vriendenloterij Fonds, Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie and Het Nieuwe Stads Weeshuis.